Remington RM1035P Ranger II 8-Amp Electric 2-in-1 Pole Saw & Chainsaw with with Telescoping Shaft and 10-Inch Bar for Tree Trimming and Pruning, Orange

We bought a Remington pole saw maybe 15-20 years ago and it finally gave up the ghost. It was a great electric pole saw and I used it extensively before, during and after Hurricane Ivan in Florida. My Poulain chainsaw died and I finished up with the Remington. It would not have handled some of the bigger stuff with the shorter blade, but it handles things quite well that were within its design parameters. The chain cut fast and well. The new one cuts well, also. I had to replace the chain once and epoxied a few cracks in the plastic over the years, but finally, the housing that holds the bolts that tighten the blade in place cracked and it became impossible to tighten the blade securely - making it dangerous. So, as it had been an excellent tool, I bought a new one from the same company - this one.The new model is slick in design and easily switches between a pole saw and a short chain saw with the push of a couple of buttons. Very straightforward and clever design. The oil reservoir is clearly visible, so you know if it has oil in it - much better than the original design. It does NOT come with oil, though, so you need to put oil in it BEFORE you use it or you will probably burn it up. Just FYI.... I didn't expect it to come with oil and I already had oil for the last one.There is a brilliant tool free chain tightening system, but you need to READ the directions and know how it works. The black knob on the side locks the blade in place. To adjust the chain, you unscrew the black knob and rotate the grey sleeve on the outside to tighten or loosen the chain. ONce it is where you want it, re-tighten the black knob until it is secure. Super easy! If the chain area gets clogged with debris. simply unscrew the black knob until the whole assembly comes off, clean out the debris and reassemble - still no tools needed. Really brilliant and easy and takes no time to adjust. The original pole saw we had needed wrenches and a lot of time and a screwdriver - this is light years better! The pole latch for the extension is also more secure. All in all, this is a much better saw in many ways. The only drawback I can see at all is that it is a bit heavier than the original, but I suspect it is also more durable. It is not a super lightweight saw, though. But, I have yet to find an electric pole saw that actually works that is lightweight at full extension, so can't really complain too much on this one. The leverage at full extension is just bad, period, for any pole saw with a weight on the end of it. And it is quite beefy in design, so I expect this to hold up well over time. The price was a lot less than several competitors. I have no idea why.... It's really well designed. Excellent value for the money I think, but I have not had it that long, though I have used it a fair bit since I got it. I had a lot of stuff that needed trimming when I discovered the other one was dead... Hope that helps....

Based on reviews of other products, this MTD made saw is probably more durable and better made. It also has a longer pole than most. The trade-off is the extra weight. If you only have a few branches to cut, a medium build man can handle the job. But extensive trimming becomes a two man job. In addition to the weight, the other drawback is that there is no automatic chain tensioner. So keep your eye on the chain tension and oil level (be sure to purchase chain oil Oregon 54-026 Bar and Chain Lube, 1 Qt). Also, be sure to wear goggles as the sawdust sometimes falls back in your face.This is an excellent tool and has saved hundreds of dollars in tree trimming costs. I bought it with a decent quality 100 ft. 12/3 extension cord Southwire 02589SW Outdoor Extension Cord- 12/3 American Made SJTW Heavy Duty 3 Prong Extension Cord- Great for Commercial Use, Gardening, and Major Appliances ( 100 Foot- Yellow) and a cord reel Alert Stamping 7000WR Pro-Reel Cord Carrier (both are well made, but the handle for the cord reel is uncomfortable---wear gloves).

Many reviews I read commented on the weight so I knew what to expect. Yes, it's heavy especially when trying to manipulate at full extension but I believe the quality and powerful motor 'outweighs' this concern. You do need to have saw vertical then press to limb. It has a hook that allows you to hang on small limbs. Once on the limb to cut this is where the weight of saw works for you to make a quick cut. Just be aware of the weight once said limb is separated from tree. It is very durable so not concerned as I allowed saw to fall down with limb. Just be aware of the weight if you have it stretched out horizontally. I'm fairly strong for an old guy and the best I could do was slow the descent. This saw appears well made and I cut down numerous 9" trunks in a short time. What a timesaver compared to my old manual pull saw.

I'm sure real arborists might laugh at this tiny little chain saw that's plug-in electric, but for small jobs like taking down a 16 year old mulberry tree, it's perfect.It's a little heavy for a computer geek's upper body when the pole is extended, but of course if it was lighter it wouldn't have the power. Normal "manly men" (or stronger women) probably won't find the weight an issue.The cool thing about this is you can detach the handle and saw from the pole and connect them together and now you get a proper hand held chain saw for when you need it.Be sure to read the instructions, especially if you're more comfortable installing DIMM's into your PC than cutting down trees. As is normal with chain saws, you have to constantly watch the chain tension and keep it filled with chain oil. (Check before and during every job.) And try not to cut off one of your own limbs!By the way, the Interwebs recommend using canola oil for the chain lube, and I can attest mine worked just fine, and it's cheaper and smells better than petroleum based chain oil. (It consumes quite a lot of chain oil when in use, because it dispenses it on the chain constantly.)This chain saw needs to be plugged in to work, and it's quieter than gasoline powered saws, so it's not good for horror movies or juggling!